


Super Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair (Talent Swap AU)

by MamaMayako



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Alternate Universe - Character Swap, Identity Swap, Multi, Personality Swap, talent swap
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-01
Updated: 2019-09-12
Packaged: 2020-10-04 15:15:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20473151
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MamaMayako/pseuds/MamaMayako
Summary: Chiaki Nanami starts her first year at Hope's Peak Academy. As she walks into the school building, she is overcome with fatigue; when she recovers, she finds herself in front of a door. She has the strong urge to open it, and once she does, she finds herself in a classroom full of her new classmates.They suddenly find themselves locked in the classroom, and a pink bunny, Usami, appears before them, claiming herself to be the class' teacher. The classroom around them soon falls away to reveal a paradise-like island. Usami tells them that they are on a school trip and that they are to befriend each other to gain Hope Fragments and make their hope grow.Just as they get used to the peaceful island life, Monokuma appears and takes control of the island, announcing that the students must participate in a life of mutual killing if they wish to escape.





	1. Welcome To Dangan Island! (Prologue - Part 1)

“Hey… Can you hear me…?” A calm, somewhat raspy voice was heard against the sound of… ocean waves? My head was spinning, I couldn’t think right. Wondering who’s voice I had just heard, I opened my eyes. Looking up at the sky, I saw a boy with short, blonde hair looking down upon me.

“Are you okay?... You seem pretty out of it.” He asked, seeing my eyes open. Was he concerned for me? Before I could respond, he spoke up again.

“To be honest, I’m also… No, everyone else feels the same, too. Since we suddenly… Got put in this weird situation……. Hey, are you listening?” As he spoke, I felt like I was zoning out, questioning myself……. I don’t understand. Why am I… here…?...... What happened? I should try to remember first… I began to think, disentangling the twisted knots that had formed in my mind. Think-think-think-think-think-think-think. As I gathered the fragments of my scattered memories, I began to piece together what actually had happened……… That’s right… I… I…

[ Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair ]

> GAME START

That day… it wasn’t just a typical day for me… it was a day that felt… truly significant. And when that long-awaited day finally came, I felt proud in a way I can’t really put into words. I felt like… I had just become a part of something greater than myself. Does that make sense? Actually, that’s exactly what it was like… I was truly in a dream.

Hope’s Peak Academy… That place was so much more than a school to me. Kids who love to play baseball with long to join the majour leagues… Kids who love to play soccer will long to join a rep team… And ever since I was a kid, I’ve felt the same way about Hope’s Peak Academy… 

Hope’s Peak Academy is a government-funded school for the privileged elite of society. It recruites top students from every imaginable field to inspire hope, and in doing so, shape the future. Whenever Hope’s Peak Academy is mentioned, it’s only a matter of time before someone says… “If you come here and manage to graduate, you’ll be set for life.” And just so you know, that’s not a joke or an exaggeration at all. Many of the current leaders of various industries are actually alumni of this school… Well, that’s basically what Hope’s Peak Academy is all about. As they say, it’s truly the Academy of Hope.

There are two criteria you must meet in order to attend this school… One, you must be a current high school student. Two, you must be the very best at what you do. Unlike other schools, there aren’t any entrance exams at this academy. The only way to get in is if the school scouts you itself… That is how Hope’s Peak Academy operates. Now, because of the talents of those who are chosen… The students of Hope’s Peak Academy are called Ultimates. But even though I’m finally going to Hope’s Peak Academy, the school I desired more than anything else… The truth is, my circumstance is a little different than that of my peers…. Well, I guess I can put that aside for now. You’ll find out soon enough, and it;s nothing special worth talking about… I think. Anyways… I guess I should introduce myself first.

“I’m not so special that I have to introduce myself, and formalities are always a little embarrassing. Well, this is what’s expected… I guess that’s how I should think about it. My name is Chiaki Nanami. There’s only one reason I came to Hope’s Peak Academy… Because I admired Hope’s Peak Academy. To me, attending Hope’s Peak Academy is like being a celebrity or a superhero. In fact, instead of calling it an admiration, it’s more like… it’s always been a dream of mine. ₜₕₐₜ’ₛ wₕy, ₜₒ fₑₑₗ ₗᵢₖₑ ₐ ₘₑₘbₑᵣ ₒf ₛₒcᵢₑₜy, ₜₒ bₑcₒₘₑ ₛₒₘₑₒₙₑ ᵢ cₐₙ bₑ ₚᵣₒᵤd ₒf, ᵢ ₐₗwₐyₛ wₐₙₜₑd ₜₒ…” Ƒօɾ էհąէ ɾҽąʂօղ ąӀօղҽ, į ąӀաąվʂ աąղէҽժ էօ… Ƒօɾ էհąէ ɾҽąʂօղ ąӀօղҽ, į ąӀաąվʂ… ålwå¥§ ålwå¥§ ålwå¥§ ålwå¥§ ålwå¥§ ålwå¥§ ålwå¥§ ålwå¥§ ålwå¥§ ålwå¥§ ålwå¥§ ålwå¥§ ålwå¥§ ålwå¥§ ålwå¥§ ål₩₳Ɏ... Ʉ₦₮łⱠ ₦Ø₩, ł ₦ɆVɆⱤ ₩₳₦₮ɆĐ ₮Ø ₳Đ₥ł₮ ⱧØ₩ ₱₳ł₦₣ɄⱠⱠɎ ØⱤĐł₦₳ⱤɎ ł ⱤɆ₳ⱠⱠɎ ₳₥. ₮Ⱨ₳₮'₴ ₩ⱧɎ... ⱧØ₱Ɇ… ι ⓂＩＧ𝕙Ť 𝔥𝓐𝔳έ 𝓐đ𝐦Ｉŕ𝑒๔ ᵗ𝕒ᒪ𝔢Ⓝ𝓉•𝕀Ｎđιν𝓘Ｄ𝓾𝓐𝕃𝕃𝔂...•βυŤ Į ʰＡשє 𝒇𝒾ᑎⓐˡᒪ𝕪... ғⓞʳєⓥ𝒆Ⓡ⚫𝐓яⓘє∂ м𝕐 ᗷ𝔼𝐒Ť... ｆƗ𝔫ａŁℓץ ς𝔸𝕄ⓔ Ŧ𝓻➂+Ď

Everything blacked out… Huh…?... What is this?

A classroom door, in what seemed to be in the middle of nothingness....It’s a door. There’s a door…. Still, I need to hurry. Because I need to go inside this classroom. Need?... What “need”? No… I should hurry. I opened the door and…

“...... Huh?...”

“...Who goes there?” A girl in the front of the class spoke up. She had long, blonde hair, her hands were crossed as she looked straight at me with a stern look. Behind her back was a long case… some sort of weapon…?

“...Eh?” 

“Um… are you feeling all right? You look quite pale…” Another girl spoke up, her voice was higher and softer. She stood near me by the door, she looked… proper and kind. Long purple hair, and a somewhat fancy looking dress.

“Ah, um…”

“Hey, could you be… You’re also a freshman at this school, right?” The voice was raspy, coming from a long pink-haired boy from the middle of the class, holding a finger to his face. Hanging onto his side was a photography camera.

“Ah, then… you’re all…?”

“See for yourself. We’re all freshmen, too.” A guy with crazy white hair spoke, his voice was kinda soothing. He was leaned up against the lockers in the back of the class. He wore a light green jumpsuit that seemed to be stained with some darker substance. These guys… Everyone? The freshman who were accepted into Hope’s Peak Academy… The Ultimates?

“I assume… freshmen like us have been gathered in this classroom.” A much deeper voice was heard. It came from a boy who was sitting in a desk near the middle of the class. He looked calm.. Or maybe tired? Wait… Gathered…?

“...Hey, why don’t you come inside for now?” A slightly chubby boy with spiky raven black hair spoke to me, the way he looked upon me.. It made me feel like he was already judging me.

“Eh? Ah, yes of course!” ...Wait, why am I being so polite? I know they’re called the Ultimates, but they’re still high school students like me… That’s right… First impressions are crucial in moments like this! I need to act more confident! Thus, to hide my nervousness from the others, and while trying my very best to act cool…

I stepped inside, closed the door behind me, and sat in an open seat at the back of the classroom.

“...” Anyways… what just happened earlier?

I wanted to be here, and then a classroom door appeared right in front of me… As if I was drawn to it… But… how did I walk to this classroom? I don’t remember… Something’s… weird…

“Um… excuse me?”

“...What is it?” The chubby boy spoke to me again, seemingly annoyed. Probably just the situation at hand, I can't blame him.

“Why are we all gathered in this classroom? No one said anything about coming here so… is there like, an entrance ceremony or homeroom happening now?”

“Actually… we were just about to discuss that matter.” He looked away from me, becoming lost in his thoughts.

“Discuss?”

“Well… since you are the last student to arrive, let’s start the discussion.” He looked back at me, ignoring what I had said, and then faced the rest of the class.

“Eh, this is everyone? How do you know?” A short, smooth-voiced boy has asked. He had twirly brown hair with streaks of red and white in it.

“There are only sixteen desks in this classroom, and this girl is the sixteenth student… It’s obvious if you bother to think about it…!” He snapped slightly at the shorter one, who tensed up in response.

“And just what are we gonna talk about? The reason we’re all gathered here in this classroom?” A larger student had asked. Shoulder length black hair with a small little chef cap perched on the top.

“First, I need to confirm something. Out of everyone here…” Jeez, this guy is acting as if he’s immediately taken the role of our leader... “Is there anyone who actually remembers how they came to this classroom?”

“Eh?!” We all looked around at each other. A surprised look appeared on everyone’s face… Not one person raised their hand.

“So before you realized it, you were in this classroom… Then everyone here is in the same predicament… No matter how you look at it, it’s unnatural. Even you stupid-looking ones would agree, right?”

“i-It sure is strange. Nobody actually remembers how they came here…” The pink-haired lad from before spoke up again, a confused and concerned look on his face. “...Hey! What do you mean, ‘stupid-looking’!?”

“The moment you set foot on campus, you felt a strange dizziness, and now you’re here and you don’t know why… That is what I experienced before I arrived here. Am I correct in assuming that’s true of all of you?”

“Th-That happened to me too, but…”

“Eh!? That dizziness wasn’t just me?” The black shoulder-length hair man panicked slightly. “Everyone felt the same dizziness… that’s weird!”

“E-Even if it’s just a coincidence… it feels too good to be true…” A girl from the back spoke quietly and shyly. She had long, raven black hair with white streaks, and had what I can only describe as “hair horns”.

“So you’re saying it’s not just by coincidence, then.” The chubby boy looked down, closing his eyes with a smirk.

“...Hm?” The purple-haired girl perked up at his words curiously.

“Meaning… we can only speculate who’s responsible for this strange phenomenon.” He looked back up, a serious and stern look in his eyes. Wh-Who’s responsible…? What is it…? It feels like… this is going to get even stranger…

“Hah! I don’t know what you’re so worried about, but that doesn’t sound like a huge deal…” The voice carried a rather carefree and spontaneous attitude. The voice came from a short girl with a blonde ponytail. Her expression showed that she didn’t really have much interest for the situation at hand.

“...What do you mean?” The white-haired boy questioned the short girl, tilting his head to the side. He was obviously nervous.

“I mean it’s a minor problem.” She crossed her arms and responded. “Instead of trying to figure out why we’re here, we should try to figure out why we can’t leave…”

“Huh? Whaddya mean we can’t leave?” A buff man spoke up. He had slicked back hair, a long jacket with no shirt, and a dumbfounded look upon his face.

“Eh!? S-Seriously!?” Chef boy started to panic even more now, starting to shake. I watched him rush over to the door and try with all his might to pull it open, but…

* Clatter-clatter-clatter! *

“I-It won’t open! I can’t open it!” He continued to shake as he realized what the short girl had said was true.

“...Huh, why!?” The boy with the camera looked at him in surprise.

“A little while after I got here, I tried to leave to go take a shit…” Okay little girl, too much information. “But that door wouldn’t budge at all!”

“Hey, hey… What’s going on?” Now the white-haired boy looked even more uneasy than before.

“Even with all my might, I couldn’t open it! It’d be absolutely impossible for all of you…”

“Eh? What do you mean you couldn’t open it? Why? That’s not possible!” A busty brunette girl with a snarky attitude spat at the shorter girl.

“S-She’s right! It’s impossible! Because… when I went through the door, it opened normally… It wasn’t locked at all…!” It has to be impossible! ...Right?

“Though I don’t understand what forces are at work here…… There’s no denying that we have been locked inside this classroom.” The blonde girl with the sword case stated, to make sure we were all fixed on the situation.

...Locked inside?

“Wh-What do you… mean…?” I suddenly became aware of how heavy my body felt… As though a feeling of unspeakable dread began settling on my shoulders.

“M-Maybe we’re… getting mixed up… in something dangerous?” The white haired boy nervously suggested.

“Or perhaps… Doesn’t it make more sense to think that this is the entrance exam?” A short boy with really short blonde hair and a long, black jacket spoke up from the back. He seemed rather calm.

“...The entrance exam? You mean, Hope’s Peak Academy’s?”

“But… according to Hope’s Peak Academy, no such entrance exam exists.” The purple-haired girl is right about that…

“They may say that publicly, but it’s possible that this is actually a special entrance exam.” The blonde boy continued, making suggestions for what was going on. I was willing to take his word, when suddenly…

“Ah, you’re wrong. This is not an entrance exam.” Out of nowhere, a squeaky voice was heard.

“What was that just now?” The leader-like boy questioned, looking around.

“Hey, fatass…” A girl with grey hair glared at the chubby guy. “Why’d you make that cutesy voice all of a sudden?”

“I won’t dispute your blunt remark about my weight. But that voice you just heard was not mine…”

“...Huh? Then whose is it?” The buff boy asked.

“Um, it’s actually mine!” The high pitched squeaky voice spoke up once more.

“Who’s there!? Where are you!?” The short girl started to yell, becoming pissed off.

“It sounds like it came from behind the teacher’s desk…” The boy with the deep voice who sat at his desk looked up, his attention put onto the desk in the front of the room. Behind the teacher’s desk…?

“All right! I see everyone has arrived! Let’s begin!” As the voice was heard again, everyone turned their attention to the teachers desk. And…

“What… is that…?” The purple-haired girl stared at what had emerged from behind the desk, her voice full of confusion and fear. It was some kind of.. rabbit.. toy..?

“Um… It looks like a stuffed animal…” The boy with the camera also stared, but didn’t seem to be completely phased.

“That’s right, I am a squeezably soft stuffed animal.” The toy announced in her high voice. “Magical Miracle Girl ★ Usami… A.K.A. Usami! I may not look like it, but I am your squeezably soft teacher. Nice to meet you all!”

“H-Huh? Am I hallucinating? Am I the only one who’s seeing this?” The boy with the chef hat was panicking again.

“Nah, I see it too…” The white-haired boy confirmed.

“What’s with this talking Chihuahua!?” The buff student called out after seeing the… whatever it was.

“Eh!? That’s a Chihuahua!?” The boy with the twirly hair looked over at him.

“...Does everyone here know what a rabbit is?” The toy sighed in a disappointed tone. “It’s a lovable animal that’s very fluffy and soft. That’s what I am! A singing, dancing, talking rabbit mascot!”

“H-Hold on! Let me process this first!” He was shaking so much that his hat was about to fall right off his head.

“Okie-dokie!” Usami reluctantly agreed.

“Um… What do you guys think?” He turned his attention to the rest of his classmates. “I-I’ve never seen a stuffed animal that can sing, dance, and talk before…”

“I-It’s probably remote controlled or something…” The grey-haired girl responded with a slight stutter. “Don’t act like such a pussy over a child’s toy.”

“E-Even if it’s remote controlled, doesn’t it look too lifelike? That’s pretty advanced for a toy…” The boy with the jumpsuit put his hand up to his cheek as a drop of nervous sweat rolled down his face.

“It's movements and mannerisms are not the issue.” After watching Usami for a good while, the chubby boy spoke up once again. “More importantly, based on what it just said… It seems you know something about our current situation…!”

“Of course I do! I’m the lead teacher of this school trip!”

“School trip…?” He looked at her, shocked and dumbfounded by her response. “Hey… What do you mean, school trip?”

“A large group of students go on a chaperoned trip with a lead teacher! It’s the biggest event of the school year!” Usami happily explained.

“W-We’re not looking for such a literal answer…” I… couldn’t really find the words to explain my thoughts towards all of this…

“Now let’s depart for the fun school trip!” Usami raised up her magical girl wand and smiled. Depart?

Usami waved her wand, emitting sparkles all across the classroom. Soon, the room gave way; splitting in half and opening like flaps as if the classroom were just one large box. The walls of the classroom fell over, and beyond the walls… was a beautiful beach scenery. Ocean waves crashed onto the sandy beaches, palm trees reached far into the lovely blue sky as the squawk of seagulls filled the air.

“...... Huh!?” I couldn’t believe my eyes. Not just my eyes, but my brain too… The world just stopped making sense… The classroom collapsed like a stage set, and what appeared before me instead was… Blue sky… white clouds… Blue sea… white waves… “What… the hell is this?!” No matter how I tried to rationalize it, it was… abnormal. Clearly unreasonable. Utterly crazy. Blatantly wrong.

“Um…” For a moment, the boy with the longish black hair froze. “Wha-Wha-Wha-Wha-Wha-Wha-Wha-What!?”

“This is a joke… right?” The white-haired boy, just like me, couldn’t believe what was in front of him.

“Wh-Where are we!?” The boy with the red and white streaks in his hair screamed out.

“Huh!? Wh-What’s going on!?” The boy with the pink hair looked like he was just about to pass out.

“Everyone! Please stay calm!” Usami smiled innocently at all the panicking and scared students. “There is no reason to panic! Seeeeee? Look around! Feast your eyes on this beautiful ocean… It’s like your heart is being washed clean, isn’t it…? It washes away everything… even all the bad things…”

“Hold on, give us the details…!” The sword case lady demanded with confusion and frustration. “Where in the world are we?”

“‘Where’ you ask…?” Usami tilted her head. “Well, obviously we’re… ‘Out where it’s better! Out where it’s wetter!’... Out by the sea!” She giggled in a sing-songy tune.

“I-I understand that this is the sea, but… what are we doing here!?” The raven black and white haired girl stuttered and yelled in fear, she looks like she could collapse.

“You know… your throat’s gonna get hoarse if you keep screaming like that.” Usami’s tone seemed more concerned, yet disappointed again.

“But… we were just at school and now we are by the sea… This is impossible…” Once again, the purple haired girl had a good point.

“Please do not worry.” The rabbit tried to calm everyone down again. The school trip has just started! That’s all!”

“But, like, why are we on a school trip all of a sudden!?” The twirly haired boy went up to Usami and looked straight at her. “You totally skipped alllll the stuff that comes first!”

“He-He’s right…! We’re all supposed to be attending Hope’s Peak Academy.” None of this is making sense…

“Ah, Hope’s Peak Academy… I seeeee, I seeeee… You don’t say… You guys are feeling unsure about Hope;s Peak Academy. Then, in that case...” Usami hummed to herself. “Please forget about Hope’s Peak Academy! That’s why we’re having a school trip in the first place!”


	2. Welcome To Dangan Island! (Prologue - Part 2)

“Ah, Hope’s Peak Academy… I seeeee, I seeeee… You don’t say… You guys are feeling unsure about Hope;s Peak Academy. Then, in that case...” Usami hummed to herself. “Please forget about Hope’s Peak Academy! That’s why we’re having a school trip in the first place!”

"...Huh?" Wh...What?

"The hell do you mean we should forget about it!?" The grey-haired girl snapped at Usami once again.

"Hey... What are you?" The leader angrily, but at least calmer than most of us, questioned the rabbit. "Just what are you scheming?"

"Wha-Wha-Whaaat!? I'm not scheming anything! I'm doing this for everyone's sake!" She quickly defended herself. "I'm praying from the bottom of my heart that hope will grow within everyone's heart! There's nothing dangerous on this island whatsoever! So please, there is no need to worry at all!"

"Island...?" The short blonde boy spoke up. "Did you just say 'island'?"

"Yup, and it certainly is beautiful. It was prepared just for us, an island free from other people and danger."

"Are you saying... This island is uninhabited?" How...?

"Perhaps... you brought us to this uninhabited island to make us kill each other...!?" The blonde boy started to panic. Where did he even get that idea..?!

"Ha-wa-wa! K-Kill each other!? Nuh-uh! No way! Bloody business, like causing violence or inflicting pain, is a big no-no on this island!" Usami started shaking. "Even the word 'kill'... Just saying it horrifies me! Kyaah! So scary!"

"Then... What is this 'school trip' you mentioned?" The leader continued his questioning, hoping to understand this situation. "What do you intend for us to do on this island?"

"All righty! I shall announce it to everyone right now!" Usami raised her wand, smiling at the class. "While you all relax on this island paradise, you must get along and strengthen your binds with one another! That is the main rule on this heart-throbbing school trip!"

"'Heart-throbbing school trip'...?" The raven-haired leader seemed to be taken aback.

"Spend these peaceful and relaxing days nourishing hope and lazing about, free from pain, free from suffering..." Her voice seemed calm and caring. "Truly, this lovey-dovey heart-throbbing school trip is...... everyone's homework!"

"Wha-!" Huh? "What the hell does that even mean...!?"

"Now then... Let the heart-throbbing school trip begin!" It goes without saying, but... I had no idea what she was talking about. I couldn't follow her words at all... And then, just like a curtain slowly lowering...

...My mind ground to a halt.

...

“Hey… Can you hear me…?” I opened my eyes. Looking up at the sky, I saw the boy with short, blonde hair looking down upon me.

“Are you okay?... You seem pretty out of it.” He asked, seeing my eyes open. Was he concerned for me? Before I could respond, he spoke up again.

“To be honest, I’m also… No, everyone else feels the same, too. Since we suddenly… Got put in this weird situation……. Hey, are you listening?” ... Without a word, I was able to stand up on my feet again. "Hey, are you sure you're okay?"

"...... Leave me alone."

"Th-There's no way I can leave someone alone when they look that pale..."

"..." White sandy beach... Crystal blue ocean... The sun's rays beaming down on me... This soft, tropical wind brushing my skin... I... Definitely don't know what's going on... I was supposed to attend Hope's Peak Academy. Why did this...? Why... Am I here at a place like this? "That rabbit thing said we're... On a tropical island."

"...Yeah, you're right."

"..." I have no idea what's going on. That's the only thing I can say with absolute certainty.

Let's try looking around here. Since thinking about this won't give me any answers... I have no choice but to explore and hope I find some.

Coconut trees. I guess it makes sense for there to be palm trees on a tropical island. That's a mighty fine palm tree... But now's not the time for me to be impressed by it...

There's a monitor on the coconut tree. Why is there a monitor in a place like this? The screen is blank... What is this being used for?

A surveillance camera propped up on the beach.

"Hm. Is that a camera...?... A surveillance camera? Are we... Being monitored or something!?"

"I wouldn't say we're being monitored..." The blonde boy spoke up. "I think we're just being watched for our safety... Well, it's a waste of time to think about it. Best not to worry!"

What's with this guy...? How can he be so calm in a situation like this?... Maybe he's just a chill guy.

The ocean. The crystal clear, shining blue sea... It's perfect for the tropical island.. Just what's going on here? I never wanted anything like this as all...

"So how are you feeling? Are you calmed down now?" He questioned my well-being again. "Um... I understand your confusion after everything that's happened... But why don't we start with an introduction?"

"Introduction...?"

"...I'm Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu. Nice to meet you."

> FUYUHIKO KUZURYU  
[ Ultimate Lucky Student ]

"Ah, along with my introduction... I guess I'll also tell you about my talent so you know why Hope's Peak Academy chose me. Well, even if I tell you, in my case, it's a pretty disappointing talent..."

"A disappointing talent...? What do you mean?"

"I'm lucky."

"...What are you talking about?"

"It's not a joke or anything... That's my actual talent. I'm the Ultimate Lucky Student... At least, that's what I'm called anyways." Fuyuhiko seemed to chuckle nervously.

"Ultimate Lucky Student?"

"Through a country-wide lottery, apparently only one ordinary student is selected at random to attend...... Hope's Peak Academy as the Ultimate Lucky Student. And that lucky winner just so happened to be me." Chosen by a lottery... Is that really okay? I mean... Is luck even a real talent in the first place?... How strange. "Your face looks... Troubled."

"Oh, no... I'm not troubled or anything."

"Now, it's fine. I have mixed feelings about this, too." His nervous chuckle played again. "I never thought an average, talentless high school student like me would ever enter Hope's Peak Academy... At first... I declined. I told them I didn't deserve it. But they told me they really wanted me to attend... Apparently this so-called luck of mine is a talent that even the school doesn't fully understand... To research it, the school picks the Ultimate Lucky Student every year through an annual lottery. Hope's Peak Academy is amazing if they can actually research something as vague as 'luck'. Well, thanks to that luck, a guy like me was able to attend Hope's Peak Academy, so for that I'm grateful... But on the other hand... I feel a little out of place here. Ah, sorry. I have a bad habit of viewing most things through a pessimistic lens." And you have a bad habit of talking a lot it seems... "Um, yeah, I guess that's it for my introduction." Hmm... Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu, huh... He doesn't seem like the most reliable guy, but he doesn't strike me as a bad person either. "Now then, it's your turn."

"Yeah... I'm Chiaki Nanami."

"Then, let me ask you a question: What is your Ultimate talent?"

"Um, I... I... I..." I opened my mouth but the words would not form. I felt my thoughts stalling in my head. As if I opened a book expecting to find words, and instead found blank pages.... It was that kind of uncomfortable feeling. The memory I was trying to recall had completely vanished from my mind. "H... Uh...?" Without realizing it, my body began to shudder as waves of discomfort began pounding against me...

"Chiaki... What happened?"

"Ah... It's nothing...! I guess... I'm still pretty confused about all this... I'm having trouble remembering some things..."

"... I understand how your memory might be confused after suddenly getting into a situation like this..." Fuyuhiko looked at me with distrusting eyes... But quickly he smiled. "I'm sure you'll remember soon once you've settled down. So... I don't think you need to worry about it all that much."

"You're... Right..."

"Then, I guess we're done with our introductions for now. Even though I don;t know whats going on... I hope we can get along."

[ Obtained Hope Fragment ]

"Hey, did something just beep!? Wh-What a weird sound..." I hastily stuck my hand into my pocket. That's right... That strange, mechanical sound just now definitely came from the inside of my pocket. I pulled out some kind of... device. It said "e-Handbook" on it with a lil picture of Usami on it. "Wh-What the hell is this? It's like a PDA or a smartphone... Wh-Why is something like this inside my pocket?"

"Usami was passing them out earlier... Remember? Oh right... You seemed pretty out of it when that was going on."

"N-Now that you mention it... I think I kinda do remember but...... What is this?"

"It's an e-Handbook!" Usami seemingly popped up out of nowhere.

"What the...!? Where'd you come from!?"

"Oh, did I startle you? I'm terribly sorry." She apologized, followed by a giggle. "Teehee... I know how to apologize like a good girl! Anyways, don't you think it's cool? That handbook is absolutely vital for this school trip, so make sure you don't lose it!"

"Th-This device is that important?"

:I've asked everyone to use their e-Handbook to gather all of the Hope Fragments!" ...Hope Fragments? "Um, on this island, you'll obtain Hope Fragments as you get along with your classmates. As your relationship with everyone improves, you'll be able to gather more and more Hope Fragments! Gather Hope Fragments so that the flower of hope achieves its full bloom. Truly, that is...... The main purpose of this school trip! Love! Love!" With that, just as quick as she appeared, Usami disappeared.

"H-Hey!" ... She's gone. A stuffed animal that moves, talks, and also appears wherever and whenever she wants... Regardless of who's actually controlling it, it still doesn't make any sense...! "And... What was all that about Hope Fragments? What's her deal? It's like we're in a game or something..."

"If this feels like a game, it's rather comforting. That means we aren't going to be in danger right away."

"Y-You're probably right, but..."

"More importantly... You don't know anything about the other students yet, right?" Fuyuhiko smiled softly. "Then... It's best if you at least introduce yourself to them."

"Th-That's also true... But... Where did everyone go?"

"Maybe they're exploring the island as well?"

"Exploring the island?"

"As long as we're expected to live on this island, we should learn as much as we can about it. For example, what's this island's name? Is there a way to escape? What about food and living arrangements?" He seemed calm about this, but still a bit nervous. "So... Why don't we finish introducing ourselves to the others and explore the island at the same time? I pretty much went around and introduced myself to everyone already, but I'll tag along with you." So now he's decided to come with me...... Well, I guess that's helpful for me. I know I'd worry if I was left on my own. "Shall we get going then?"

"..."

But... Is this really okay...? To feel so relaxed in such a strange situation...? Perhaps it's the tropical climate? Or is it that... What's-Her-Name... Usami's fault?

"What is it, Chiaki? Let's get going."

"R-Right... Got it." At any rate, if this is a nightmare, I have no idea if it's even started yet... Sheesh, what kind of nightmare is that...?

With Fuyuhiko by my side, I left the beach.

"Ah, about exploring the island..." Fuyuhiko spoke up. "It appears a map of this island has been installed onto this e-Handbook. If you use this, you should be able to find everyone easily." Again, he seems too calm and chill with this situation. "To be honest, before I arrived at this school, I did some research about everyone on the internet. I haven't learned everything about everyone but... I'm pretty sure I can give you some helpful info."

"...Wait, you can research stuff like that on the Internet?"

"Eh, you don't know? This school is so popular, there are message boards online dedicated to talking about its students."

"Then... Was I also...?"

"Hmm... I don't recall seeing your name there. I probably overlooked it..." Oh. "Well, it's not your fault if you can't really remember." I'm sure my name was mentioned on there... It's not a mistake I was accepted into Hope's Peak Academy... "Anyways, I'll help out too, so why don't we begin making your introductions?"

"O-Okay... You're right." So first I need to introduce myself to everyone else on this island, then...

Walking around the island a bit, we came across a Ranch.

"This looks like a ranch." Fuyuhiko pointed out the obvious.

"...Though there aren't many animals around."

"Aww... You found it out!" Usami popped up out of nowhere again.

"You again! Seriously, where do you keep appearing from!?"

"I can show up anywhere, anytime! The system allows me to appear anywhere on the island!" She twirled around, raising her wand. "It's all thanks to this hand-dandy Magic Stick!" Magic Stick, huh?... Is she talking about that toy she's holding? "Hmm... Still, I am quite troubled... A ranch without any moo-cows is like a soccer team without any balls."

"You might want to rephrase that..." Fuyuhiko audibly laughed a bit under his breath.

"Alrighty! Just leave it to me and my handy-dandy Magic Stick!" Usami went over to a chicken that was on the ranch. "Bibidi Bobidi! Bibidi Bobidi! Bibidibibidi! Bobidibobidi!" After saying... nonsense... the chicken started to glow. "Bu! Turn into a moo-cow!" As the chicken shook, a bright like emitted from it. And then...

"...BWHAAAAAAAAA-!?" I-It actually turned into a cow...!

"Harumph! A huge success!" Satisfied with herself, she disappeared again.

"Wh-What was all that just now...?" I don't... "A-A chicken changed into... a cow!?"

"Nah, it's probably some sort of trick or illusion. I bet it was set up before we got here. She was probably trying to make us happy, but... I guess it had the opposite effect on you, Chiaki." ...A trick? An illusion? W-well... if you think rationally, it makes sense... A chicken can't just change into a cow. Messing with living things like that is just not cool, you know?


	3. Welcome To Dangan Island! (Prologue - Part 3)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Mayako here, sorry this chapter came out a day late. When I was almost done writing this chapter yesterday, a lot of family-related issues came up and I wasn't able to finish it. I'll do my best to stay on schedule!

"Wh-What was all that just now...?" I don't... "A-A chicken changed into... a cow!?"

"Nah, it's probably some sort of trick or illusion. I bet it was set up before we got here. She was probably trying to make us happy, but... I guess it had the opposite effect on you, Chiaki." ...A trick? An illusion? W-well... if you think rationally, it makes sense... A chicken can't just change into a cow. Messing with living things like that is just not cool, you know?

Well, ignoring what had just happened, we looked around. In the middle of the ranch was the busty girl from before, dressed in a red kimono. Her hair was a dark brown and put up in a slightly messy bun.

"Squish squish!" She said with a smile. What's this girl doing? She's sitting down and she keeps pressing her finger onto the floor with all her strength.

"Um, are you okay? I haven't introduced myself, right? My name is Chiaki Nanami..."

"Hmmm?" The girl looked up at me. "I'm Akane Owari."

> AKANE OWARI  
[ Ultimate Traditional Dancer ]

"Squish squish!" She hasn't stopped pressing her finger onto the floor... Seriously, what's she doing?

"Akane's talent has made her known as the Ultimate Traditional Dancer." Fuyuhiko looked over at me. "As a rookie, the Japanese dance industry expects a lot from her. She's already performed overseas many times. It seems her performances are popular among young audiences, which is rare in the Japanese dance industry. Well, then again, her fans are mostly men." It's probably because she's so busty... Her fans probably all have the same niche or something.

"Squish! Squish!"

"Hey, what exactly are you doing?"

"Hmm? I'm squishing!"

"Squishing what?"

"Mr. Ant, of course. I'm squishing lots of Mr. Ants."

"Come again?" ...What?

"Hehe... If you squish their tummies just right, it makes this awesome sound." She smiles so... innocently. "Wanna do it together!?"

"H-Hell no!"

"Aww, okay." She smirked, looking the other way with a conniving expression. "Hmph, you wuss..." Th-This girl... her attitude...

[ Obtained Hope Fragment ]

On the other side of the ranch was the buff, shirtless guy. He wore a coat over his shoulders, a chain around his neck, and had scars over his eyes. He had raven-like hair that was slicked back.

"Heeeey! Who're you people?" He called out to us as he saw us approaching.

"It's nice to finally meet you... I'm Chiaki Nanami."

"Gotcha... And who's this dude?"

"...Huh?" Fuyuhiko looked up at him in surprise. "Haven't we already met?"

"Oh, haha! I'm sorry!" He chuckled. "I pretty much suck at rememberin' names, and I've met so many interestin' characters today."

"I'm Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu. If you can, please don't forget my name again..."

"Yo! The name's Nekomaru Nidai! Nice to meetcha!"

> NEKOMARU NIDAI  
[ Ultimate Gymnast ]

"Nekomaru is known as the Ultimate Gymnast, and an all-around super athlete. Rumor has it that he's a wild troublemaker, but his athletic ability is off the charts. However, his basics and fundamentals are all over the place, so his gymnastic routines are mostly improvised. If he's in his groove, he performs splendidly. But if he's not, he loses interest and switches it up." How self-centered... No matter how you cut it, he definitely sounds like a troublemaker... Even so, he's called the Ultimate Gymnast for a reason, so his performances must be amazing to see...

I... can't imagine him as a normal high school student. I mean, he's more like an Olympic athlete...

[ Obtained Hope Fragment ]

"Huh? Don't tell me you..." Fuyuhiko glanced at me with a smirk. "Oh, I get it! So, you have a thing for buff bodies, huh?"

"You're being loud... I know you're doing that on purpose..."

After talking with Nekomaru, me and Fuyuhiko left the ranch to continue searching the island. We found a marketplace, seemingly called "Rocketpunch Market".

"So this is the supermarket... It's pretty big." If we're on a tropical island... Does that mean we're in international waters?

"Thanks to this place, we won't need to worry about food and other necessities for a while." Fuyuhiko pointed out to me.

"For a while?"

"I-It's just a figure of speech."

"But there's no guarantee anything here is edible. What if all this stuff is poisoned?"

"Hm... You certainly are the skeptical type."

"Of course I am. Even this supermarket is strange. Look around! We're in this gigantic supermarket and there's nobody else here except us!"

"Well, that can't be helped. Didn't Usami say this island was uninhabited?"

"Th-That's exactly my point......Ugh!"

"What happened?" Fuyuhiko seemed concerned.

"It's nothing..." Right after I said that, a girl with raven-black and white hair looked at me. She's staring at me funny...!

"Ah, uhhhh, um..." She tried to speak up. "Um... You know.........I-I'm sorry." Wh-Why is she crying!?

"Bullying a fragile student... Not cool, Chiaki."

"... I didn't do anything."

"Ah, so your name is Chiaki... If it's okay with you, may I please remember your name?"

"O-Of course... I don't mind you remembering it, but..."

"M-My name is Ibuki Mioda. Um... From the bottom of my heart, I hope we can get along."

> IBUKI MIODA  
[ Ultimate Nurse ]

"Um... you know..." She spoke up nervously again. "Um... Um um um um..." And she started to cry again. "Uhhhh... My mind is drawing a blank... from nervousness... And... I went through all the trouble of preparing 5,000 different topics to discuss after introductions!" That seems excessive...

"It's okay if you take your time and remember slowly. We'll wait as long as it takes. We'll wait for you forever if that's what it takes." Fuyuhiko tried to help calm her.

"Huh... Aaaaaah!" Isn't he... just putting more pressure on her?

"Well, I guess I'll just ask you since I won't get anywhere asking her, so...... What's her deal?"

"Ah, Ibuki is the Ultimate Nurse. If you ever get injured, you'll need her help, so it's best if you get along with her now. If you get wounded and don't treat it, there's a good possibility you'll get an infection and die."

"Don't say something so morbid so naturally..."

"Heh heh, hehehehe...!" Ibuki kept on giggling, then stopped herself. "Ah! I-I'm sorry for laughing so suddenly! I-It's just... I can't help it. I'm just so happy, I can't remember the last time I made any friends... Ah, not that you actually want to be friends with me! I'm soooo sorry i said something so... Presumptuous!" Ibuki started to cry again. "I'll do anything you say... Just... Please don't hate me...!"

"Bullying a fragile student... Not cool, Chiaki." Fuyuhiko repeated to me. Seriously, why does this keep happening?

"I'm sorry... I'm so, so, so sorry!"

[ Obtained Hope Fragment ]

Fuyuhiko shook his head as he looked at me, then motioned me to the other side of the store. A short guy with swirly brown hair with red and white streaks was looking around the store.

"Peeking, peeking..." He said to himself, then perked up with a smile as soon as he noticed us. "Oh haiiiiiiiiiii! Who're you!?"

"U-Um... I'm Chiaki Nanami..."

"Hellooooo? Your tension is super low! Are you feeling alright? Ah, that's right! Introductions are a go-go!" He raised his hand excitedly. "'Te', 'Ru', 'Te', 'Ru', 'Ha', 'Na', 'Mu’, 'Ra'! Put it together and what do you get? Teruteru Hanamura!"

> TERUTERU HANAMURA  
[ Ultimate Musician ]

"Alright, introductions are finished! More importantly, check out this bombtastic supermarket!" Teruteru twirled around with enthusiasm. "They got hamburger, ramen noodles, chili beans, bratwurst, pasta... Ooooh, melons! Americans, Chinese, Mexicans, Germans, Italians... and even people from Yubari would shop here!" He jumped up and down. "Man, I'm getting hellaaaaaa stoooked! I'm thirty-one flavours of stoked for all of this deliciousness! And when I'm excited, I get hungry-mungry! I-I don't understand it myself... Why do I get hungry when I'm excited? Why do I get excited when I'm hungry?" He giggled and looked up at me. "Kyahaha, the human body sure is a mystery!"

"Um... This energetic lil guy is known as the Ultimate Musician..." Fuyuhiko nervously chuckled. "He used to play guitar in a boy band that was super popular with high school girls. Apparently their hit single, 'After School Poyoyon Hour', sold over a million copies." A super popular high school boy band... That sounds familiar... "Due to creative differences, he left the band to pursue a solo career."

"...Creative differences?"

"Are you interested!?" Teruteru perked up in front of me happily.

"Wah!? You could hear me!?"

"Duh! Teruteru's a musician, after all!" He giggled. "Like Schubert, Bach, Edison, Van Gogh, Perez, and Senna... I, too, am an awesome musician!"

"Oh, so you're saying you have good hearing... Wait, most of those people you mentioned weren't musicians at all."

"Don't sweat the details!"

[ Obtained Hope Fragment ]

After saying our goodbyes to Teruteru, me and Nagito left the supermarket. Walking down the island we came across a large airport. This is an airport, right? So... Those things over there must be...

"...Airplanes?" Does that mean..." Couldn't we use those places to escape this island?

"Nah, that's impossible." The boy with the crazy white hair in a beanie with the green jumpsuit spoke up, a slightly disappointing look on his face. "If they were damaged, I could fix 'em, but it looks like these planes are just for show..."

"Just for show...?"

"The engines have been completely removed. Nothing I can do about that" He sighed.

"... Completely removed?" Whoever brought us to this island must have also done that... right? The same person who's controlling that stuffed animal, Usami. But... Who is doing this? And why did they bring us to this island in the first place? And... how did they do it? The more I think about it... The less sense it makes.

"Oh yeah, that reminds me... You and me haven't been introduced yet, right?" He looked over at me with a smile. "Name's Nagito Komaeda. I'm the Ultimate Mechanic. Nice to meet ya."

> NAGITO KOMAEDA  
[ Ultimate Mechanic ]

"As expected from someone called the Ultimate Mechanic, Nagito is a savant when it comes to fixing machines. If he says it's impossible to fix this plane, it's truly beyond repair."

"Even so... To actually remove the engine, whoever's keeping us here must've planned this to a T." Nagito groaned.

"You think so too, huh... Doesn't that seem pretty strange to you?"

"Yeah, it's pretty strange, but I think it's an acceptable level of strange, y'know?"

"...Huh?"

"Well, think about it... It's not like we're being forced to do something dangerous or anything..." Nagito cleared his throat, adjusting his beanie. "That was mentioned in the safety precautions for this school trip. Remember? The school trip guidelines written in the e-Handbook?" Having no idea what he was talking about, I pulled out my e-Handbook to check it. There was a 'Regulations' section, I guess that's what Nagito was talking about.

[ RULE 1: ]  
> Extreme violence is prohibited on this island. Please live peaceful and relaxing lives with your fellow students.

[ RULE 2: ]  
> Be considerate of each other and work together to obtain Hope Fragments.

[ RULE 3: ]  
> Littering is not allowed. Let us coexist with this island's bountiful nature in "mutual prosperity".

[ RULE 4: ]  
> The lead teacher cannot directly interfere with the students. An exception to this rule is made if any student violates a rule.

Those seemed to be the only rules. I closed out of the regulations and put away the e-Handbook.

"It looks like we're being kept safe, so why wouldn't this be like any other school trip?" Nagito tried to think positively.

"There's nothing dangerous on this island... Spend these peaceful and relaxing days nourishing hope... Just as Usami said earlier. It seems these rules are in place to help us do that..." Fuyuhiko seemed to talk to himself.

"Are you saying you believe what that thing told us? She forced us to come here, you know!?" I quickly snapped a response at him.

"Don't be such a pessimist... You should look at this situation with a bit more hope, you know? Optimism is essential for people to live satisfied lives."

"Well, I guess it's okay if we just enjoy our vacation and see how this whole thing plays out, right?" Nagito, seemingly being optimistic, raised a thumbs up at me with a wide smile. "Heh-heh! If you stare closely at that strange-lookin' bunny girl, she might start lookin' pretty cute!" I'm actually jealous of how carefree he's being right now.

[ Obtained Hope Fragment ]

Not too far from where Nagito was standing was a girl with short red hair and a dark red scarf. There seemed to be something like a scar going from above her nose to the right side of her left eye. Also her right eye was green and her left eye was a pale grey. She also seemed pretty bandaged up on one arm. Me and Fuyuhiko were about to walk up to her when-

"Stop right there. if you value your life, do not come any closer." She glared at us right after saying that.

"...Huh?"

"Hmph, I said stay back! Oh, very well... I shall accept that courage of yours." Wh-What's this girl talking about?

"Kehehe, would you like to know my name? Others may see your courage as recklessness... However... I welcome it." Doing some kind of.. pose.. with her hands, she smiled. "In honor of your courage, I shall reveal to you my name. May you never forget it as long as you live! You may call me... Mahiru Koizumi! Remember it well, for it is the name that will one day rule this world!"

> MAHIRU KOIZUMI  
[ Ultimate Breeder ]

R-Rule this world...? She's kidding, right? If she's actually serious, that's pretty out there!

"Now then, it is my turn to ask the questions. Whose master are you?"

"Eh...?"

"Which tribe did you make your pact with? Answer me!"

"...Huh? What do you mean, 'pact'?"

"Answer me now! Though I shall cast you into a watery grave once you do!"

"Then it's best if I don't answer!"

"I think she's asking... If you used to have a pet..." Fuyuhiko chuckled very nervously.

"...Pet? No... The only animal I've taken care of was a hermit crab we passed around in elementary school."

"So, a mere insect! Hah! Your Magic Essence caps at a lowly five! Trash!"

"T-Trash, really..."

"Hmph! Is it wrong to call trash 'trash'? Trash like you should not dare to speak to one as grand as me! Who do you think I am? I am the great and powerful Mahiru Koizumi, Supreme Overlord of Ice!" At that moment, four hamsters seemed to pop art of Mahiru's scarf.

"H-Hold on a minute! Something strange just came out of your scarf!"

"Taming evil by using myself as a bed... Truly, this is the secret of the Koizumi Empire!"

"It's like something you'd see on a nature show. I guess she totally fits the bill of Ultimate Breeder..." Fuyuhiko crossed his arms, holding back a giggle.

"One of my Four Dark Devas of Destruction, Mirage Golden Hawk Jum-P, has this to say; 'We're not used to going east on our enemies... So don't make us angry. You wouldn't like us when we're angry.' Fuhaha...! Fuhahahahahahahaha!"

[ Obtained Hope Fragment ]

"Um, yeah... I know she seems a little odd, but apparently she did splendidly as a member of the Breeding Club. I've heard she can tame any animal and even managed to succeed at proliferating an endangered species. Rumour has it she can speak to animals... Well, that's probably just a joke." Speak with animals...? Well, she's certainly eccentric enough in that regard... I mean, there's no way a normal person would attempt to raise hamsters inside their own scarf...

Well, that seemed to be everyone at the airport. So with that, me and Fuyuhiko set out to explore the other parts of the island.


	4. Welcome To Dangan Island! (Prologue - Part 4)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for once again being off schedule! For a couple days my devices were taken away so i couldn't work on anything, and I've been super busy on school work. Plus there's been a lot going on in my personal like that's just been really messing with me. I'll try my best to stay on schedule for now on, but it's not a guarantee.

Well, that seemed to be everyone at the airport. So with that, me and Fuyuhiko set out to explore the other parts of the island. Running around for a bit, we found a… hotel?

“Wow… This is a pretty nice hotel…!”

“The Hotel Mirai, huh? It looks like it’s named for the Japanese word for ‘future’. When we were told to live on this island, I was worried we’d have to pitch a tent or something…” Fuyuhiko sighed in relief. “If we can live in a grand hotel like this, I don’t think we’ll have to worry about being comfortable.”

“Comfort isn’t an option here… We don’t even know why we’re being forced to live on this island…” I felt myself snap slightly again. “…How can you just accept this!? You’re way too excited about living here!”

“Well, it seems obvious that this area would make a good base, so why don’t we look around for a bit?”

“...” Why is this guy… So calm? It’s like he doesn’t think this situation is a big deal at all…… Has he been through a lot of trauma or something?

The hotel area was huge, near it was a bunch of huts and even a pool! Next to the pool was a short girl with a blonde ponytail.

“Hm…? That’s right… You haven’t told me your name...” She immediately noticed us walking towards her. “My name…” She put her hands together with a smile. “I am the Ultimate Team Manager, HIYOKO SAIONJI!!!”

> HIYOKO SAIONJI  
[ Ultimate Team Manager ]

“U-Um… Hello. I’m Chiaki Nanami…”

“Hold it right there! Your voice is too soft! Let your voice rise from the bottom of your stomach!” She practically yelled at me.

“U-Um… I’m Chiaki Nanami!”

“Noooooo! You can be louder than that! Do it again!”

“My name is Chiaki Nanami! Please to make your acquaintance!”

“I AM HIYOKO SAIONJI! Don’t forget it, even if you go to hell!” Hiyoko continued to yell. “I am the Ultimate Team Manager, HIYOKO SAIONJI!!!”

“Y-You don’t need to repeat your name so much. I won’t forget it…”

“Gah-hahaha! I agree to your terms!” S-She sure is boisterous… It’s not just her voice, her whole aura seems loud.

“Hiyoko Saionji is known as the Ultimate Team Manager.” Yeah thanks Fuyuhiko, as if she didn’t just yell that at me 10 times…

“The Ultimate… Team Manager? So she’s not on a team, she just manages one?”

“She’s not just a team manager… After all, she’s an Ultimate. She’s traveled to numerous towns and played an active role in various sports clubs managing their teams. For instance, she led some high school rugby team full of delinquents to victory in the national play-offs… She also rescued a baseball club on the verge of being shut down, and led them to national victory as well… Rumour has it she’s even training that famous Japanese pitcher who plays in the American League.” I-If that’s all true, she totally deserves to be called the Ultimate Team Manager…

“Gah-hahaha!” Hiyoko continued to laugh.

[ Obtained Hope Fragment ]

Working our way around the pool, we came across a girl with grey hair, braids on the sides that went to a ponytail on the back of her head. When she saw us coming towards her, she glared.

“...Who the hell are you? Don’t talk all friendly and shit to me, dumbass.” This girl is already in a crappy mood. “What’re you lookin’ at!? You got something you wanna say, bastard!?

“R-Relax, Peko. We’re only here to introduce ourselves.” Fuyuhiko tried to calm her down.

“...What? Introduce yourselves?”

“See, you haven’t been properly introduced to each other, right?”

“Hmph…… Name’s Peko Pekoyama… Just so we’re clear, I don’t plan to act friendly and shit with you guys.”

> PEKO PEKOYAMA  
[ Ultimate Yakuza ]

Even though she looks mature, she’s also incredibly rude…

“Peko is a high school student and heir to the Pekoyama Clan.”

“Eh? The Pekoyama Clan… Don’t tell me she’s--!?”

“I’m sure you’ve at least heard of them before, right? The Pekoyama Clan is the largest criminal syndicate in the nation, with a membership surpassing 30,000.” Fuyuhiko smiled, as if he was impressed. “Which means… She’s the Ultimate Yakuza. Th-The heir to a yakuza clan… And it’s *the* Pekoyama Clan, no less…?

“Fuyuhiko… You’re, like, my savior or something.”

“Haha, you’re just exaggerating… Uh, I guess not.”

“Hey, bastards… If we’re all done here, how ‘bout you dumbasses make like a tree and fuck off?” Peko glared at us with pure annoyance and anger.

[ Obtained Hope Fragment ]

Well that was.. An experience. Not too far from Peko was a boy with pink hair. It was tied up in a braid and draped over his shoulder. Over his other shoulder was a handle to a camera.

“Hey, aren’t you the girl who was squatting on the beach earlier and burying your face in your arms?” He had his hands to his hips.

“Uh, y-yeah…”

“Hey… you gotta keep it together, you know? At times like this, it’s the girls’ job to take care of the boys.”

“Y-You’re right…”

“Did you want me to introduce myself? I haven’t done it yet, right?” He smiled at us. “Let’s see… I’m Kazuichi Souda. I’ll be counting on you from now on.”

> KAZUICHI SOUDA  
[ Ultimate Photographer ]

“Kazuichi is known as the Ultimate Photographer. He has a promising future as a photojournalist. I’m not an expert on photography but I hear he’s a young photographer who has won numerous awards. On that note… He’s known for his skill at taking pictures of people.” The Ultimate Photographer, huh… Well, there is a camera hanging from his shoulders… I kind of assumed that already… 

“Honestly, I’m a little relieved. You guys seem decent enough.” Kazuichi sighed and looked to the side.

“...Hm? Decent?”

“Well, there’s a lot of weirdos here. I can’t tell if they’re really Ultimates or, like, just insane… I’m eager to get along with everyone so we can get off this island, but I was worried that things wouldn’t go well.”

“Get off this island…? What do you mean?”

“Huh, you don’t know? That’s what that stuffed animal Usami was saying.” Kazuichi cleared his throat. “After you finish collecting all the Hope Fragments that you earn by getting along with everyone…” He smiled, trying to stay positive. “This joke of a school trip will be over, and we can all leave this island together.”

“Th-That’s all we have to do and we can go home!? Is that true? Did she really mean that!?”

“Hey, you should be paying closer attention! This is, like, really important!”

“Well Chiaki, now that you know this, you must feel a little relieved, right? As long as we live here peacefully, we’ll be able to leave this island soon enough. So there’s no reason for you to act so panicky.” Fuyuhiko smiled at me.

“E-Even so… What's the reason…? Why do we have to do something like this? I mean, to go through all the effort of bringing us here so we can all live together and get along… It doesn’t make any sense.”

“I may not know why we’re here, but if that’s all we have to do to go home, then that’s all there is to it.” Fuyuhiko remained calm. “Overall, I’m glad. I mean, it’s really not that big of a deal.” Not a big deal…? Really? We’re told we’re on a school trip without any warning, then we’re taken to a place like this… And then we’re told… To forget about Hope’s Peak Academy… Is he *sure* this isn’t a big deal?

“Hey!” Kazuichi yelled to grab our attention.

“Eh!?”

“Don’t ‘eh!?’ me, what about your introduction? I’ve been waiting for, like, forever, you know?”

“Ah, sorry… I’m Chiaki Nanami. Um… It’s nice to meet you, too.”

“I see… Chiaki Nanami, huh?” He glared at me and scoffed. “Sorry to disappoint you, but I’ve already made a mental note to remember you as ‘Unreliable Chiaki’. It’s gonna be tough for you to change my mind. You better man up and try even harder to do your best!”

“... I see you’re whipped already, Chiaki.” Fuyuhiko laughed a bit.

“I’m talking to both of you! You better man up and do better! Got it!?”

[ Obtained Hope Fragment ]

Realizing that we had talked to everyone outside the hotel, we walked into the hotel lobby. The place was big, and looked really nice.

“Yeah… Even the inside of this place looks grand, too.” Fuyuhiko looked around in awe.

“If this was really a normal school trip, I’d be smiling by now… But… Why are we the only ones in this hotel?”

“It’s an uninhabited island, it can’t be helped.” For an uninhabited island, this hotel looks pretty well kept, and it seems electricity won’t be an issue… What in the world is going on with this island…?

Ignoring more weirdness with this whole… School trip thing… We decided to start talking to the other people in the lobby. The first person we talked to had a long case behind her back, like one for some sort of weapon. She had long, blonde hair that draped over her shoulders in low pigtails.

“...State your business.” She blatantly told us while staring.

“Well, I just want to introduce myself. Is that alright with you…?”

“An introduction…” She looked down for a second as if she was embarrassed. “Understood, I don’t mind.”

“I’m Chiaki Nanami. Nice to meet you.”

“My name is Sonia Nevermind. It is nice to meet you, too.”

> SONIA NEVERMIND  
[ Ultimate Swordswoman ]

“This dignified-looking woman is known as the Ultimate Swordswoman. It’s hard to believe someone with a cute name like Sonia Nevermind could be so skilled with a blade. I’ve heard she’s a kendo master and that most adult men don’t even stand a chance against her.” Fuyuhiko started his rambling again. Well, there’s definitely something up with her… Her eyes are really intense.

“If what that rabbit said is true, we are expected to live together on this island.” Sonia said with a monotone voice.

“Yeah, you’re right…”

“It is necessary for men and women who live together to respect each other. Don’t try anything inappropriate…” Sonia seemed to glance at Fuyuhiko when that was said. “I would prefer… Not to kill anyone.”

“Kill…? Isn’t that sword on your back made of bamboo?”

“Though it may seem impossible to kill someone with this, a misaimed blow can be fatal.” Sonia stood in thought for a second. “Well, an aimed blow can be fatal, too…”

“...” ...I’ll keep that in mind.

[ Obtained Hope Fragment ]

On the other side of the lobby, there was some boy in a hoodie playing an arcade game, and he looks completely absorbed by it… His hair was black and white, his eyes were a faded yellow maybe?

“...”

“Chiaki, you haven’t properly introduced yourself to him either, right?”

“Y-Yeah… You’re right…” He seems really focused on his game, but I guess I should try to talk to him… “Um, excuse me? I’d like to introduce myself…”

“...”

“...Hey, Gundham?” Fuyuhiko tried to call out to him.

“Oh, sorry… I must’ve been… A little too focused on my game…” The boy said in a deep, but hushed voice.

“A little…? Are you sure about that?” Fuyuhiko chuckled lightly under his breath.

“Let’s see… Oh, right, introductions. Got it…” He kept his eyes focused on his game as he spoke. “I’m Gundham Tanaka, the Ultimate Gamer. Video games are my hobby, and I’m a fan of all genres… Nice to meet you.”

> GUNDHAM TANAKA  
[ Ultimate Gamer ]

“I’m Chiaki Nanami. Nice to meet you, too…”

“... Yeah, totally.” He didn’t really bother to smile, but he sounded happy.

“It seems like this conversation is going rather slow…”

“Well, he is gaming right now…” Fuyuhiko chimed in.

“It’s more like……” Gundham paused for a moment. “I’m the kind of person who has to gather my thoughts before I can start talking. Like, I can’t talk that well unless I’ve already prepared everything I want to say in my head… Especially when I’m meeting new people… Well, if I get used to them, I can usually talk a little faster.” ...He’s still focused on his game, and he hasn’t looked at me at all… He may be the Ultimate Gamer but how can he play video games at a time like this…?

“Yaaaawn…” Gundham let out a small yawn. “...I’m sleepy.”

[ Obtained Hope Fragment ]

After talking with Gundham, me and Fuyuhiko walked up a flight of stairs that was behind him. The stairs led to the second floor, which looked like some kind of restaurant.

“So… This is the hotel restaurant.”

“It’s enormous. We could easily hold a banquet here. It kind of has this tropical, open country feeling.” Again with Fuyuhiko being too calm for this… 

“...Open? Even though we’re stuck on this island?”

“Are we really stuck here…?”

“What else could it be…?”

“...” Fuyuhiko smiled at me, ignoring my question. “Oh well… Let’s finish introducing ourselves first. Look, there are two people talking over there.” Fuyuhiko pointed to two people on the other side of the restaurant.

“That’s right… I’m having a hard time because it’s full of poison. It really sucks. Speaking of which, it’d be great if you could use your mouth to suck it out...” The chef guy from before spoke.

“Poison… I see…” The girl he was speaking too had long, purple hair that was put in a braided bun and wore a pretty dress.

“H-Hey… Do you guys have a moment?”

“Whoa… Denied…” The chef looked away with nervousness and embarrassment. Denied?

“Hello, it is nice to meet you.” The girl smiled at me, keeping a straight posture with a soft smile on her face.

“H-Hello… My name is Chiaki Nanami. Nice to meet you too.”

“Why, hello there. You must be the new girl.” The boy grabbed my attention. “My name is Satarou Sagishi. On the streets, I’m known as the Ultimate Cook…” He smiled, though it seemed more of a smirk. “But could you guys call me the Ultimate Chef instead? It has more of a… Big-city flavour to it, ya know?”

> SATAROU SAGISHI  
[ Ultimate Cook ]

“Mmhmhm, I hope we get along well.”

“Oh, that reminds me, I have not properly introduced myself either. I am terribly sorry to keep you waiting!” The girl in the dress spoke up. “My name is Mikan Tsumiki.”

> MIKAN TSUMIKI  
[ Ultimate Princess ]

“I am a foreign exchange student from a small European kingdom called Novoselic. I may cause trouble here and there, but I can hope we can get along well.”

“S-Same here… I hope we get along, too.” White porcelain skin… Sparkling burgundy eyes… And her hair glitters like fields of flowers… It’s like… She has this mysterious charm that I want to gaze at forever…

“...Are you enchanted? Well, that probably can’t be helped. She’s known as the Ultimate Princess, which means she’s actual royalty.” The Ultimate Princess…? Normally I’d be surprised to hear that, but… It’s not just her beauty, she’s just so graceful… I’m completely at ease even though she’s a real princess.

“Um, this may be rude of me to say, but… Truthfully, I feel happy.” Mikan smiled.

“Huh? What… Are you happy about?”

“In my home country, I… Did not have a single friend my age whose standing in society matched my own. So, to be able to do something like this with everyone is a new experience for me…” Mikan put her hand on her hip. “... I shall extol your virtues.”

“‘Extol my virtues’...? Th-Thanks.” What the…? I suddenly feel the urge to drop to one knee and bow.

[ Obtained Hope Fragment ]

“H-Hey, you three, am I being left off the menu or something?” Satarou spoke up once again.


End file.
